Switch operating and locking mechanism



J. W. WALLS. j

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-3.1918.

1,306,567. Patented June 10, 1919.

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w gnuc'nkm J. W. WALLS.

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-$1918.

Patented June 10, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 JAMES w. WALLS, or KAnsAscITY, MISSOURI.

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOCKING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1919.-

Application filed January 3, 1918. Serial No. 210,174.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. WALLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Operating and Looking Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to railroad switches and more particularly to mechanism for operating the swing rails and locking bolts, the object being to provide a switch operating and locking mechanism which is so constructed that the same can be readily operated from a switch stand or tower.

Another object of my invention is to provide mechanism which is exceedingly simple and cheap in construction, the parts thereof being adjustably connected together and so mounted that a slight movement of the main switch operating rod and main lock operating rod will adjust the switch rails and looking bolts. 1

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the application of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a portion of the switch operating rock shaft and lock operating rock shaft showing the manner of connecting the main operating rods thereto;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the lock bolt operating shafts showing the manner of connecting the same to the main rock shaft; and a Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the bearings and its connection with the rods for moving the stub rail. r

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawing 1 and 2 indicate the rails of the main track, 3 and 4 the rails of the switch track, the main rail 2 and the switch rail 3 being formed with a gap at the junction thereof and the ends being mounted on a base plate 5 and secured by the ordinary fastening means, said base plate being secured to the ties by spikes. The converging endsof these rails are connected byspacing blocks 6 and 7 provided with bolt openings as shown in dotted lines through which the locking bolts extend as will be hereinafter fully described.

Pivotally mounted on the base plate 5 is a stub rail 8 capable of being swung to connect the ends of the rails. The main rails 1 andl2 are provided with gaps at their intersection with the switch rails 3 and 1, the ends thereof being mounted on plates 9 and 10 spiked to the ties. Mounted on these plates between the gaps formed in the main rails are swing rails 11 and 12 adapted to be moved so as to register with the switch rails or main rails, the intersecting portion ofthe switch rail and main rail being connected together by spacing'blocks 13 and 14 which are provided with openings to receive looking bolts as will be hereinafter fully described.

In constructing the round bed for the switch some of the, ties are extended and thereon mounted blocks 15 provided with bearings 16 in which .are pivotally mounted main rock shafts 17 and 18. The rock shaft 17 at one end carries a crank arm 19 pivotally mounted in a knuckle 20, the internally threaded sleeve of which is adjustably mounted on the threaded end 21 of a flat switch operating rod 22 which is arranged underthe'plates 9 and 10 and is connected to the swing rails 11 and 12 by bolts 23 which [extend through the slots formed in the plates not shown so that when the main switch operating rod 22 is reciprocated the shaft 17 is rocked and the swing rails shifted. The opposite end of the main switch operating rod 22 is threaded as shown at 24- and carries a knuckle 25 which is connected to the crank of a switch stand 26. V,

Secured to the rock shaft 18 is a bifurcated crank 27 to which is pivotally connected a knuckle 28 by a link, said knuckle being mounted on the threaded end of the main lock operating rod 29 extending paral lel to the main operating rod 22 and provided with a knuckle 30 which is connected to a crank arm of the switch stand 26. In the drawings I have shown a switch stand constructed in the ordinary manner by means of which the lock operating rod is operated prior to the switch operating rod, and I do not wish to limit myself to any particularconstruction of switch stand as these operatingrods can be connected through suitable mechanism, to operatingmeans arranged in a tower.

In order to provide means for swinging the stub rail 8 simultaneouslv witlftlfe swinging of the swing rails 11 and 12, I provide the rock shaft 17 with spaced crank arms 31 and 32 in which are mounted knuckles 36 and 37, providedavith inter nally threaded tubular sleeves adjustably mounted in the threaded ends of rods 38 and 39, the rod 39 extending under thebase plate 5 and carrying a bolt extending at right angles therefrom adapted to pass through a slot formed in the base plate and to be connected to the stub as shown at 4:0.

The rod 38 at its opposite end to its connection with the rock shaft 17 has threads on which is adj ustably mounted the thread ed sleeve of a knuckle 4C1 which is pivotally connected to one of the arms of a lever 42 mounted on a bearing l3. The opposite end of the lever 4-3 has secured there a knuckle adjustably secured on a rod to which is also provided with a bolt extending at right angles thereto to which is connected the opposite end of the stub rail 8 as shown at 46, said bolt passing through a slot in the base plate 5.

From the construction thus far described it will be seen that I have provided means for swingingthe stub and swing rails by rods operated by a rock shaft in such a manner that a slight movement of the rock shaft. is sufficient to operate the swing rails of the switch. E

Secured to the rock shaft 18 are crank arms d7, 48, and 49 provided with bifurcated ends in which are mounted twisted links 50 havingtheir opposite ends mounted in knuckles 60 which are provided with internally threaded sleeve portions mounted on the threaded angled ends of lock bolt operating rock shafts G1, 62 and 63, said shafts being mounted in bearings 64: carried by blocks 65 secured to the ties. The shaft .61 is provided with spaced crank arms (36 to which are connected knuckles 67 carrying tapered lock bolts 68, the ends of which are threaded into the internally threaded sleeves of the knuckles so that the same can be adjusted. These lock bolts 68 extend through the openings in the spacing blocks 13 and 14: and cooperate with the swing rails 11 and 12' so as to lock t hese rails in their adjusted positions.

The shaft 62 is prov ded with a crank (59 to whichis connected'a knuckle 7O carrying a lock bolt 71 extending through the opening of the spacing block 7 and adapted to engage one end of the stub rail 8. The shaft'63 is provided with ac-rank arm -72 carrying a knuckle 73 which is provided with ath'readed stem in which the threaded end of a lock bolt 74 is adj ustably mounted, said lock bolt extending into the opening of the space block 6 and adapted to engage the stub rail 8.

ing and locking mechanism in which all of the parts carry adjustably connecting members so during the installing of the switch the parts can be readily adjusted, and in.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 I have shown details of construction of several parts all the other parts corresponding with these parts, that is, each crank arm of the rock shaft 17 is connected to the rods for operating the swing rail in substantially the same manner as the main operating rods are connected thereto as shown in Fig. 2.

One of the furcations of each of the bifurcated knuckles is provided with a threaded aperture into which extends the threaded end of a. pivot pin 35L for securing the links 50 therein as clearly shown in I claim:

1. A swing rail switch operating and locking mechanism comprising. a pair of main rock shafts adapted to be arranged to one side of said switch, aseries of lock bolt operating rock shafts connected to one of the first men tioned rock shafts, lock bolts pivotally connected .to said lock bolt operating shafts adapted to lock the movable switch rails, and a series of rods connected to the other main rock shaft having connections with the swinging rails of said switch. 2

2. In a switch operating and locking lIlQClL anism, the combination with a pair of main rock shafts, a switch stand having operating and locking rods adjusta-bly connected thereto, a series of lock bolt operating rock shafts adjustably connected to one of the first mentioned rock shafts, lock bolts pivotally con nected to said lock bolt operating shafts adapted to lock the movable switch rails, guide blocks for said bolts, and a series of rods adjustably connected to the other main,

rock shaft having connections with the swinging rails of said switch.

3. In a switch operating and locking mechanism, the combination with a pair of main rock shafts, each rock shaft having a series of crank arms secured thereto, switch operati ng rods connected tothe crank arms of one of said rock shafts, lock bolt operating rock shafts connected to the crank arms of. the other main rock shaft, a switch stand. for

operating said rods, and a series of adjustab-le look bolts pivotally connected to the lock bolt operating shafts.

at. A switch operating and locking mechanism, comprising a pair of main rock shafts,- crank arms carried by each of said main rock shafts, switch operating rods adjusta-bly connected to the crank arms of one ofsaid shafts, a series of rock shafts arranged at right angles to the first mentioned rock shafts, means for connecting said last mentioned rock shafts to the cranks of one of the first mentioned rock shafts, said rock shafts carrying locking bolts for locking the movable rail of the switch in adjusted posi-,

tion, and guide blocks for said bolts.

5. A switch operating and locking mechanism comprising a pair of spaced main rock shafts, one of said rock shafts having a series of switch operating rods pivotally connected thereto, a series of lock bolt operating shafts pivotally connected to the other main rock shaft, said lock bolt rock shafts being provided with cranks, knuckles pivotally mounted on said cranks, and lock bolts adjustably carried by said knuckles.

6. A switch operating and locking mechanism comprising a pair of main rock shafts, arranged to one side of the switch, a switch stand for independently rocking said shafts, cranks fixed onsaid rock shafts, switch op erating rods connected to the cranks of one of said rock shafts, and rock shafts adjustably connected to the cranks of the other main rock shaft, said last mentioned rock shafts carrying lock bolts.

7. A switch operating and locking mecha nism, comprising a series of plates, each plate having bearings, spaced rock shafts mounted in said bearings, a series of cranks, arms secured to one of said rock shafts, a se ries of bifurcated arms secured to the other rock shafts, links pivotally mounted in the bifurcated crank arms, knuckles pivotally mounted on said links, rock shafts adjustably connected to said knuckles, locking bolts operated by said rock shafts, and a series of switch operating rods adj ustably connected to the cranks of the first mentioned rock shaft, and means for rocking said shafts from a single switch stand.

8. In a switch, the combination with base plates upon which the ends of the rails are bolted, of movable switch rails mounted upon said plates, bolts for locking said movable rails, rock shafts for operating said bolts, a pair of main rock shafts, one of said rock shafts having a connection with said first mentioned rock shafts, and a series of rods adjustably connected to the other main rock shaft connected to said movable switch rails, and a switch stand for operating the main rock shafts.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. WALLS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS E. LANDE, CHAS. A. HAWK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G. 

